Torie Happe and Deirdre Van Nest On Connecting with Clients through Authentic Storytelling

In today’s episode, Torie Happe (Head of Partnerships at Holistiplan) and Deirdre Van Nest (Founder of Crazy Good Talks) sit down with Johnny Sandquist and Brodrick Lothringer to discuss the human side of financial advice – and the future of tech in finance.

It’s no secret that building connections with clients is a crucial aspect of successful financial planning – the tough part is figuring out how. How to create original messaging, keep conversations going, send out relevant and helpful content, post regularly to social media – it can feel like a lot, especially if you’re not seeing the needle move.

If you ask Deirdre Van Nest, she’ll give you “crazy good” tips on how connection is all about storytelling. Your clients and prospects want to know how you got to where you are and why you want to help them. 

She’ll also let you in on one important distinction: Credibility isn’t the same thing as trust. To really grow your firm and let prospects know your “why,” you have to be able to tell a story that builds trust. Easy, right?

Although content creation is a tough hurdle for many advisors, Torie Happe of Holistiplan thinks that might change with the power of new AI-driven technology. Coining ChatGPT the “Canva of content creation,” Happe predicts that tech advancements will broaden marketing capabilities for advisors, without eliminating the need for a human touch. 

Listen in to the full episode to hear more from these two industry experts, or click here to explore our other On the Circuit episodes. 

Key Takeaways

1. Whether advisors realize it or not – they’re intimidating to prospects just by the nature of their profession. 
2. Human beings are wired to learn and connect through storytelling – and advisors should keep that in mind as they speak with and create content for their clients and prospects. 
3. Technology like ChatGPT is a tool advisors can use to make content more efficiently and broaden their marketing capabilities – but it doesn’t replace their humanity. 

Key Timestamps and Topics

• 00:01:28 – Deirdre Van Nest emphasizes the importance of branding for advisors and recommends starting with a simple name as a placeholder to distinguish oneself from the competition.
• 00:05:04 – Van Nest discusses the challenges of making advisors relatable and trustworthy to clients and how her company teaches advisors to communicate in a way that builds trust and connection quickly.
• 00:13:56 – Advisors should use stories to teach, illustrate and make a point to clients. 
• 00:21:43 – Technology can be used to automate processes and streamline operations, but it can’t replace humanity. 
• 00:31:16 – Torie Happe, Head of Partnerships at Holistiplan, joins the podcast and discusses her role in bridging the gap between product and sales in the financial planning industry.
• 00:37:33 – Happe discusses the importance of providing financial planning services for everyone, regardless of income, and the role of financial education in achieving this goal. 
• 00:40:38 – ChatGPT is helping advisors broaden their marketing ability by being the Canva of content creation, making it easier for advisors to create content quickly and not have to spend days creating it.
• 00:43:34 – One of the biggest misconceptions about the industry is that people think they need to have a background in business development, product design, or tech to get in. 
• 00:48:17 – Johnny Sandquist and Torie Happe announce their new podcast, The Money Chronicles, where they will interview people inside and outside the industry about their first moment and first recollection of money and their big mistakes and successes. 

Relevant Links

• Download our free ebook, The Advisor’s Guide to Starting a Podcast
• Connect with a member of our podcasting team
• Learn more about starting your own podcast

About Three Crowns

Three Crowns is a full-service marketing partner, providing the financial industry with high quality custom blogs, website design, branding, podcast production and more. We help financial advisors and fintech companies find their message and amplify their voice. From strategy to click-worthy content, to SEO optimization and social media promotion, our team is ready to help you feel confident in your communication. Click here to connect with a member of the Three Crowns team today.